


In Sickness and in…

by pairatime



Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: M/M, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-24
Updated: 2015-08-24
Packaged: 2018-04-17 00:05:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4645014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pairatime/pseuds/pairatime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Bastogne</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Sickness and in…

**Author's Note:**

> Written for apiphile for the 06 Berlin by Christmas fic-exchange. and for 2dozenowies

The first thing the newly minted captain noted after reentering the church was a very loud, sharp and sore cough. Captain Ronald Speirs scanned the room seeking the source of the sound, his eyes drifted from face to face. Their pale skin illumined by the soft candlelight. Eyes closed leaning against one other. They were relived; after everything they had been through tomorrow held the promise of Mourmelon…they were at peace.

Captain Speirs watched the faces of his new men for as long as he could before he looked away. Looking upward at the vaulted ceiling and painted frescos depicting the battle between good and evil. Another cough drew his eyes back to the men, he scanned the men not letting his eyes stop, seeking the source of the coughing. Movement in the far back corner drew his eye and attention as he spotted two lone figures that seemed to be awake. One had coughed and the other was trying to help.

Speirs quickly made his way over to the pair and saw that it was Sergeant Gorge Luz and First Sergeant Carwood Lipton, but which was sick? As he neared he saw that it was the First Sergeant. Lipton was hunched over and Sergeant Luz was holding a blanket around him talking softly.

Both men looked up as he approached alerted by his footsteps, “How long have you had that cough First Sergeant?” Speirs asked standing over them.

“Not long sir,” Lipton said his voice sore and strained.

Sergeant Luz looked at Lipton then at his new CO before speaking, adding on to Lipton’s statement, “it’s been building for a few day sir, but Doc didn’t have nothing, now it’s just getting worse,” Luz finished, ignoring the dark look he was receiving from his friend.

“Get some rest Sergeant. I’ll sit with him,” Speirs said as he stepped to the side giving the Sergeant an escape rout.

“Sir that’s not…” Lipton started to say until Speirs cut him off.

“I need you in good heath to help run this company First Sergeant,” Speirs then turned his gaze on Luz, waiting for him to move, “Sergeant.”

“Yes, sir,” he replied as he all but jumped out of the seat and passed Speirs, “I’ll go find Bull and Martin if you need me Lip,” he added before giving Speirs a last glance and moved away from the man.

Speirs tracked his departure before turning back to his new First Sergeant to see his body shaking as he tried to hide his cough. Speirs quickly slid into Luz’s spot before placing the back of his hand on Lipton forehead, not to hot but not normal either.

He pulled his hand away when Lipton looked up him surprise in his eyes, “Sir you don’t,” he started before once again Captain Speirs cut his off.

“Don’t talk; ah, you’ll only hurt your throat. Nod or shake your head. Have you taken anything?” Speirs paused long enough for Lipton to shake his head before he grabbed an unused blanked, more than likely Luz’s and rapped it round Lipton’s body, “Does your medic…Roe have anything?” Spiers let of a sigh as Lipton shook his head once more. “They should have something at Mourmelon, till then we’ll just keep you warm and trying to sleep,”

“Yes, sir”

Speirs looked back over to Lipton to remand him for talking when he realized that his hand was rubbing circles on Lipton’s back, just like his mother used to do to him years before. He also saw that the first Sergeant, like a young him, was slowly leaning into him as he drifted off to sleep.

Speirs just kept rubbing as he used his other hand to pull the blanket tighter around Lipton. He spent the rest of the night watching his new man sleep.

***

“We’re not going to Mourmelon, Sir?” Speirs asked with displeasure, not that he’d let it show. But after everything the 506th had been through…

“No, we’ve been ordered to hold the line in a place called Haguenau. We leave in two hours, have the…your men ready,” Winters’ expanded as he looked over the map before him, marking out there route.

“Yes Sir, what about supplies sir, Ammo, clothing…medicine?”

“We’ll be stopping by a Third Army supply dump along the way. Have the men get everything they can. Nixon is trying to get information from division but in the mean time assume we’re walking into another Bastogne Captain, we may be,” Winters finished and looked up from his makeshift desk to Speirs, “Do what you have to, but get them supplies.”

“Understood sir, if that’s all sir,” Speirs smiled as he thought of dealing with the Third Army and liberating supplies before turning to leave.

“Speirs, one last thing,” Captain Winters called before he left, “How is First Sergeant Lipton, I understand he’s ill.”

“I’ll look after him sir, is that all sir,”

“Yes it is, good luck with the men, and tell Lipton I hope he’s feeling better soon.” Winters said before looking back to the maps as Speirs left the room to return to the church.

***

A few of the men had been awake before Speirs had left for battalion but when he returned the whole company seemed to be up and about. Talking with each other, fixing some semblance of a breakfast, or some were even going through and trying to clean their gear. Why waste time at Mourmelon cleaning if you can do it now…only they weren’t going to Mourmelon any more.

Speirs scanned the men seeking out the highest ranking NCO he could find, and not finding the one he was really looking for, he called one of the others, “Sergeant Grant.”

“Yes Sir,” Sergeant Grant said stepping out of the crowed of men.

“Find the officers and have them meet me in the back room,” the Captain ordered looked at the men before him. He started to leave then remembered, “and tell the senior NCO from 2nd platoon as well Sergeant,” Speirs then continued forward not responding to Grant’s “yes sir”, nor the handful of looks he was getting as he scanned the area where he had spent the night, the First Sergeant was gone.

Of course, why would he have stayed, he was the First Sergeant. That meant he had duties, no matter how sick, he’s a hard worker that’s a good thing in a Sergeant, Any Sergeant. but if it gets you killed…

Lipton hadn’t been out front, or in the main rooms of the church, Speirs turned around and looked closer at the men, they were eating food but it was German, not American…there must be men out back working on passing out the handful of supplies they liberated from the Germans.

Speirs stepped out the back door of the church and into the snow and knew right away where First Sergeant Lipton was. He saw the man standing next to the truck that was being loaded, coughing and shivering more than any of the other men. Speirs was next to him within a few steps and studied the man, he was paler than the night before though his cough did sound better, but still not very good.  
“First Sergeant, I’m having a meeting with the other officers and I need you there, Sergeant Luz is taking over here.” the captain ordered seeing the other man assisting the First Sergeant. Giving Lipton looks out of the corner of his eyes.

“Yes sir,” Luz said before turning to Lipton, “you get inside buddy, get warm eh?”

“Sure thing Luz.”

***

“What sir?”

“You heard me Lt. Shams, we are not retuning to Mourmelon. The 101st has been ordered to the town of Haguenau.”

“What happened sir?”

“The Germens attacked Lt., that’s all we need to know, we leave in just over two hours, so have your men ready. Sergeant Malarkey, 2nd platoon is yours till we get new officers, get you men ready,” Speirs told his Lt’s and Sergeants. And watched as the men started to leave, Speirs waited till the other men had filled out. “Please wait a moment First Sergeant.”

First Sergeant Lipton stepped to the side as they left and pulled his cap off and started fidgeting with it, unsure what this was going to be about. Once they had left Lipton closed the door and turned to his captain, “Sir?”

“Who do you recommend overseeing supplies; we will be getting a large amount over the next weeks.” The Captain asked studying the younger men before him. The man’s face was less pale, but that could just be being out of the wind.

“Well sir, Vet normal handles that, but if he needs helped, I’d recommend George Luz sir, he’s helped Vet before sir.”

“Vet and Luz, thank you. I have a message from Captain Winters, he hopes you feel better soon,” Speirs paused for moment giving Lipton another look, “have you seen one of the Medics in the last few days?”

“Well sir, you see we’ve been-” Lipton started as he pulled at his hat before he was cut off.

“See one of them before we leave,” Speirs raised his hand as Lipton started to speak; “this company has lost too many men, too many leaders. I simply can’t afford to lose one more because he didn’t want to see one of the medics First Sergeant.”

“Yes Sir, is that all sir?” Lipton asked with a sigh.

“Yes First Sergeant.”

***

Half the town seemed to be in rubble. He wasn’t even sure if there were enough buildings to house his men. Captain Speirs thought as he had his men stop in front of a building, a house that was just within view of the river. It wasn’t too bad, it would work. 

“Lieutenant, Sergeant find out what buildings the last unit was using and see it they’re still usable.” He told his platoon leader. Before looking over the rest of the men as they climbed out of the trucks, stretching their legs, he quickly spotted “Doc” Roe and walked up to the man, “Sergeant Roe, has First Sergeant Lipton been to see you yet?” he asked without preamble.

“Well, yes sir, he has Captain,” Roe started before casting a glance at the other men around them before drawing the officer to one side to give them more privacy, “he’s not good sir.”

“Explain”

“Sir, he’s got the flu sir, I don’t got nothing for that.”

“We were just resupplied with Med-“

“Sir,” Roe cut in interrupting Speirs, an act that got him a dark look,” I don’t got nothing for this, he would have to go back to Doc Neville, he could do something but-”

“He’d have to leave the men,”

“Yes Sir,”

“He won’t to that will he?”

“No Sir he’s to much like Winters sir, if we were at Mourmelon maybe but… ”

“What can we do?”

“You got keep him warm, keep him rested, he needs rest. If he gets a fever put something cool on him but keep him warm. And he needs to eat, he’s hasn’t been eating good.”

“Thank you Corporal. If-“

“Captain Speirs, Captain Winters wants you,” a Lt. called interrupting the two men.

***

The first thing Speirs’ eyes did upon entering his CP was seek out First Sergeant Lipton or some sign of him. He saw a number of bags but he didn’t know if one of them was Lipton’s, he didn’t know enough about the man. Was he here yet or still helping the men? Speirs looked closer at the gear but he didn’t know enough about the other men on his staff to know if the bags were theirs’ either, he just didn’t know enough about his men. He needed to work on that, starting with his First Sergeant.

He knew that someone was here so he just has to find out where. He moved from the entry way to the living room, to the dinning room then he heard talking and other noises coming from the kitchen.

He entered the kitchen to see Luz, Lipton, Vet, and the old married couple that lived in the house cooking soup on the stove. Vet and the old woman were standing at the stove mixing everything into the large pot as Luz, Lipton, and the old man sat at the table chopping up vegetables.

Lipton was pale, far paler then he had been the night before and it was taking all of his focus just to cut the vegetable before him, and he wasn’t the only one to notice, Luz was spending almost as much time watching Lipton as he was on his own vegetable.

When Speirs entered the kitchen Vet was the first to see him and it was Vet calling his name that alerted the whole room but Lipton who was still focusing on his work. As Speirs walked into the room towards the tables Luz quietly got Lipton’s attention just as the Captain stopped beside him. “First Sergeant why aren’t you in bed resting.” He said giving Lipton a long glance.

“Sir, I was helping with the soup sir it’s only cutting-“ Lipton starting as he looked up at Speirs before started to rise.

“Corporal Roe told you, you need rest, this,” Speirs said motioning to the tables, “is not resting. Now go lie down. And stay there till ordered otherwise First Sergeant.”

Speirs stepped to the side giving Lipton a route out of the room and watched as Lipton rose and with a “Yes Sir,” slowly walked from the room. Speirs’ eyes, along with the rest of the room’s, followed him. Once out of the room the CO turned to Vet and ordered him to make sure Lipton made it to a bed before he fell over, Speirs then took Lipton’s chair and begin cutting the vegetable before him.

***

Once the last of the vegetable were added to the pot Speirs left the room to check on Lipton. He and Speirs were sharing a guest room, as Vet and Luz slept on the sofas in the living room, after the old couple had shared what little they had no one wanted to force them from their bed. And after all they were still in a building and that was better then they had had in some time.

The first thing Speirs saw when he entered the room was an empty bed made up with sheets, without a First Sergeant. Speirs quickly scanned the room for Lipton and found him lying on the other side of the bed curdled up in his bedroll with an extra blanket on top but he was still shivering, and awake. “First Sergeant, why aren’t you in the bed.” He demanded to know.

“Sir,” Lipton said, startled as he had missed Speirs enter the room, “Sir there’s only one bed and you’re the officer sir,” the pale man tried to justify as he pulled the blanket tighter abound him.

“And you are sick Sergeant, get in the bed.”

“Sir it’s your bed.”

“And I’m ordering you into it First Sergeant.” Speirs said as he pulled back the top sheets and pointed, giving the Sergeant a glare.

“Sir,” Lipton begin but stopped when Speirs lowered his hand and rested it on his holster, “Yes sir,” he said at last climbing up from his floor space and laid down on the bed, “Sir, I can tuck myself in.”

Speirs pause, he hadn’t even realized that he had started but he continued anyways, “I’m not so sure about that First Sergeant you take care of the men fine but not yourself and right now I need you.” He said when he done tucking in Lipton just like his mother used to do with him when he was sick.

“Now First Sergeant, don’t move, I’ll get your food.” Speirs said then left the room before Lipton could say anything. Once in the kitchen he grab one of the bowls that didn’t have someone before it and left ignoring the questioning looks he was reserving. On the way back he grabbed a chair from the living room with him as he reentered the room he and Lipton were sharing.

He set the bowl on the bedside table and placed the chair next to the bed before taking a seat, “Now First Sergeant, you’re going to eat that entire bowl then you are going to sleep, understand.”

Lipton looked between the bowl and his CO and the chair before he answered at last, “Yes Sir…where’s your bowl sir?”

Speirs started to respond but before he could another voice answered, “right here Lip,” Sergeant Luz said as he carried in a bowl of soup and placed it next to Lipton’s before turning to Speirs, “Sir we guessed you’d be eating in here, good luck getting him to rest Sir.” Luz started to leave but turned around one last time, “the couple gave me this for Lip, I think they said it would help but…” he shrugged handing Speirs a small bottle and a glass from his pocket before leaving giving Lipton a farewell, “night Lip.”

“You have friends in the company First Sergeant.” Speirs said as he sat and poured the drink into the glass, “Eat and drink up.”

“I’m not much of a drinker sir,” Lipton said as he picked up his bowl and stared at it.

“If it might help you, you’re drinking it. And the soup is to eat not look at First Sergeant.”

“Yes Sir.”

***

It was almost two hours latter that both bowls and the glass were emptied. Lipton was drifting off the sleep, not awake, but not fully asleep, “go to sleep First Sergeant,” Speirs whispered as he rose, lightly running a hand over his Sergeant’s hair before walking out of the room to check on the others.

He could hear the old couple talking in their room down the hall and he could just make out Luz’s and Vet’s forms on the sofas and he walked towards the living room, he stopped just at the edge of the light and listened. They were talking about him, about D-day, and about Lipton. He waited a moment before making his choice. He turned and walked back to his room, let them talk.

When he returned to the room he saw Lipton was tossing and turning, as if having a nightmare. Speirs quickly knelt next to the bed taking Lipton’s nearby hand with one of his own as his other had felt Lipton’s forehead. It was hot, but not as hot as it had been, just a nightmare and not the fever then. He ran his hand through Lipton’s hair, And in a low voice he started to talk to him like his mother always did to him to drive away bad dreams.

***

_He was home and the Germans surrounded him, everywhere he turned there were Germans. How did they get here, how did he get here. He didn’t know, didn’t understand._

_He ran through the streets of his hometown, he ran, ducking bullets and hiding from Jerry, it seemed like forever then he heard it, a soft voice._

_He ran towards it because he didn’t have anywhere else to run, so he ran to the voice, he couldn’t make out the words but the voice, he knew the voice but from where?_

_He ran towards it till he came to his own house. The voice was coming from inside._

_He followed the voice till he reached his own room._

_At first the room was empty not even a room just nothing. Suddenly there were Germans everywhere. He ran into the darkness…_

_He was falling, darkness all around him and he was falling. Then someone grabbed him, and he grabbed back as light engulfed him._

***

Speirs woke with a start as he heard the door to the room starting to open. He turned to see both Luz and Roe stepping into the room, “Morning” he said before turning back to Lipton. Lipton was bathed in sunlight pouring through the window.

“Morning Sir, how’s he doing,” Luz asked stepping behind Speirs as Lipton started to move.

Roe walked round the bed to the other side before knelling and gave Lipton a good looking over before placing the back of his hand on the First Sergeant’s forehead, pausing when Speirs tensed before going on.

“Hey doc, how am I doing?” Lipton asked waking to see all three faces above him.

“Better then yesterday. You’re lucky most people don’t recover this fast,” the Medic said as he looked over his patient, “do you feel achy or sore anywhere.”

“No I feel fine Doc,” Lipton told the medic before him, before turning his eyes to Captains Speirs, “Sir were you sitting there all night?”

“Had to make sure you got well First Sergeant.”

“You did do that sir, dammed if I know how.” Roe said studying the men.

“The important thing is he did; now I need to check in the rest of the men.”

Speirs started to rise then paused and looked at his and Lipton hand for a second before he slowly let go and walked to the door then halfway out the door he coughed.

The End


End file.
